Historic change at Birmingham Anglers Association

BIRMINGHAM Anglers Association members have been handed a greater say in the region’s biggest angling club after a historic change in the constitution.

After 122 years as an association of clubs, those clubs have now effectively voted themselves out of power, and placed the ownership in the hands of every individual member. The motion was passed by a two-to-one majority at the BAA’s AGM.

At the same time the cost of joining for 2006 has been reduced by £2, to £25.

BAA secretary John Williams says that the change is necessary to preserve the future of the association, which had over 70,000 members at its peak in the 1960s. This year just over 9,000 books were sold.

“When I first joined the BAA we had over 1,000 associate club members but now it’s under 200 and dropping fast every year,” John told Midland Angler.

“We are now a fishing club in our own right and all of the members have a say in what goes on and have some equity in the association and a reason to be interested in what goes on. We want people to join because they want to, not because they have to. Now all members will have a vote at the AGM.”

One of the effects will be that books will no longer be available through tackle shops. They will only be available from BAA headquarters, and can either be bought in person, over the phone or Internet. This has not gone down well with some tackle shops, who think the result will be a big fall in membership.